Cigarette dispenser and lighter



E; F. LEITZ CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER March 17, 1931 Filed Feb. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwwzntoz March 17, 1931.' E. F. LEI'I 'Z I CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1929 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 EUGENE E. LEITZ, or PORTLAND, OREGON CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER Application filed February 11, 1929. Serial No. 338,960.

My invention relates to a device for dispens'ing and lighting smokers articles. It relates particularly to a device for dispensin cigarettes or the like, one at a time, lig ited and ready to be smoked. This invention lends itself particularly for use in automobiles and similar vehicles, where the driver thereof, or a person otherwise handicapped, has the use of but one hand, in that it provides a container fora considerable quantity of cigarettes, a simple apparatus for dispensing such cigarettes, one at a time, which may be easily operated with one hand, and other apparatus in conjunction with and operated by the dispensing apparatus for lighting such cigarettes.

An object of my invention is to provide a device for dispensing cigarettes one at a time.

A particular object of my invention 'is to provide a device for dispensing cigarettes one at a time, each cigarette lighted an ready to be smoked.

A continued object of my invention is to provide a device for lighting cigarettes, or the like, wherein at the time of lighting one end of such cigarettes, air is drawn therethrough to aid and hasten combustion, in very much the same manner a smoker draws 3 air through a cigarette when he llghts and smokes it.

Other objects will be apparent upon reading the specification which follows, a1ded by the illustrations of the device which are had in the accompanying drawings, wherein 2- Figure 1 is a perspective new of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sect1on taken on the section line 22 of Figure 3, looking in the direction the arrows point Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross sect1on taken on the section line 33 of Figure 2, looklng in the direction the arrows point;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section, with the upper portion removed, taken on the section line 44.- of Figure 5, looking in the direction the arrows point;

L Fig. 5' is a top plan view of the device; Fig. 6 is an end view of the dispensing scroll;

Fig. 7 is a modification of Figure 3;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of a valve incorporated in the modified form of my device illustrated in Figure 7;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the device attached to a support;

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the device attached to the instrument board of an automobile and Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of the lighter arm.

Similar numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views:

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a casing composed of sides 2, 2, ends 3,. top or cover 4 and bottom 5. The side 2 may be considered as the'front wall of the casing, and the side 2 as the rear wall thereof. The front wall 2, toward the bottom has an elongated opening or slot 6 which extends the entire length of the casing 1. Extending forwardly from the lower edge of the slot'6, and integral with the lower portion 2 of front wall 2, is a curved or concave receptacle or shelf 7, with the concavity thereof directed up wards. A substantial portion of the shelf, in a region intermediate its ends has been out out or removed to provide a substantial opening 8 therein. This is' to permit an article, such as a cigarette 9 shown in Figure 1, to be easily removed by clasping it between thumb and fingers. The end 3' has a portion or tongue 3 extending forwardly and downwardly. The end of the tongue 3". is rounded to correspond with the concavity of the shelf 7, and 1 .it may be secured to the'shelf to give that member added strength. The tongue 3." has a conicalcup or socket 10 opening toward the shelf 7. 'The small end of the cup 10 has an aperture (not indicated by numeral) to which is connected one end of the tube 12. Ordinarily it is next to impossible to light a cigarette or cigar unaided by an air current assing through such article from the end t at is to be lighted to the end that is held in the smokers mouth, or in some sort of a mouth iece. Such an air current is created by e smoker drawing or inhaling bustion. In F igu air through the cigarette or cigar as the case may be. The air drawn through the cigarette acts similar to air drawn through a damper in a stove. It su plies oxygen to the burning products and t ereby aids comre 1 of the drawings, if one end of the cigarette 9 be inserted in the cup 10 to the extent that such end engages the conical wall of the cup, and if, at the same time air be drawn through tlie cigarette and through the tube 12, by suitable suction apparatus (hereinafter described) connected to said tube 12, then the oppo ite end of the cigarette may be readily 11g ited. To automatically light such cigarette, the following described apparatus is provided.

The lighter consists of a casing or cup 13 which is secured to one extremity of the lighter arm 14, the other extremity of such arm being connected to the spring army 15. The face of the cup 13 is provided with an openin 16 affording entrance to the interior thereo Within the cup 13, and suitably protected by insulation (not shown) is an electric resistance or heater element 17, the heater element itself is included in a wired circuit practically all concealed in the arm 14, though one wire 18 extends from arm 14.

The wire 18 leads to the element 17 and another wire, concealed in the arm leads from element 17 to the contact 19. One end of the spring arm 15 is secured to the end 3 of the casing by means of screws 20 and 21 threaded into the casing. A block 22 covers the arm 15 where the screws pass through to give greater strength. to the assembly. The screw 22 constitutes a binding post for the wire 18, which is insulated therefrom by its insulated covering. The wire 18 continues on in a two wire circuit 23, the other wire 24 of such circuit connecting with the screw 21 which is grounded to the casing 1. The circuit 23 is connected to a source of electric ener which in this case may be the storage attery of an automobile. On the end 3 of the casing 1, and positioned opposite the contact 19 is another contact 25 which is grounded to the end 3. The casing in this particular instance should be constructed of material which OfiBIS practically no resistanceito the flow of electric energy between the screw 21 and the contact 25. The contact 19 is norward front wall 2, the forward edge not quite reaching said front wall in order to provide an opening or spacing 28. Beneath the partition 27, and extending between it and the bottom 5 is an upright angular partition 29 which isolates another compartment 30, in fact two compartments, one the refuse compartment 30 and the other the bellows or pum compartment31. The compartment 30 1s provided with a hinged door 32 opening thGIE-iIItOu The door 32 is hinged to t e casing 1 by means of the hinges 33. An opening 30 leads through the end 3 into the compartment 30 and provides means for dropping ashes, matches and other refuse into the compartment 30.

The com artment 26 forms a container or receptacle or cigarettes 34 as shownin Figure 2. Extending from end to end of the casing 1, and carried in apertures in the ends 3 and 3 which constitute bearings, is a shaft 35, which is free for rotation and longitudinal movement. One end of shaft 35 passes through a slot 36 in arm 14, and has secured thereto the disk or knob 37. Upon the shaft 35 is a dis ensing'roll 38 which extends approximate ythe full length of the casing 1. The roll 38 is rovided with a substantial groove 39whicli the roll to the other. The end of the roll 38 which is directed toward the end 3' of the casing, has an annular recess 40 at the bottom of which is a transverse recess or slot 41. The shaft 35 in the region of the recess 40 has a flattened wing portion 42, one end of which is normally drawn into the slot 41 by the arm 14 pressing on the knob 37. The other end 43 of the wing 42 tapers to the shaft as shown in Figure 3; In Fi re 3 it will be seen that one end of the wing 42 has entered the slot 41. Rotation of the shaft 35 by means of disk 37 will cause the roll to ro-, tate also. As the roll is rotated, the groove 39 will move uppermost to a position where a cigarette 34 will drop into the groove. Continued rotation of the roll, counter clockwise lookin at Figure 2, will carry the cigarette 34 in t e groove 39 to ,a position where it will roll through the slot 6 to and upon the shelf 7. The inturnededge 44 of the front wall 2 will prevent the remainder of the cigarettes in the compartment 26 from passmg through aperture 6 except as they one at a time enter the groove 39.

I have so far disclosed apparatus for dispensing and lighting cigarettes, and will now complete the discription of my device by describing the apparatus ormeans for drawing air through a cigarette during the operation of lighting, for the purpose of aiding combustion. This is accomplished by a pump or bellows arrangement 45 located in the bellows compartment 31. The bellows 45 consists of top and. bottom plates 46 and 47 respectively, between which pin 50, which in turn is rigidl secured to v the end 3 of the casing. -U-shaped spring 51 is located beneath the extension 49 in sucha way that one leg thereof rides the underside of the extension and the other leg rests upon, and by means of the rivet 52, is secured to the bottom 5. 'The tube 12,

- one end of which is connected with the cup 10, has its other end communicating with the interior of the bellows. The bellows is constantly urged by the spring 51 to open,

and as it does so, air is drawn through the tube 12 from the cup 10. To avoid expulsion of air throughtube 12 when the bellows 45 is closed, the top plate 46 is provided with an a erture 53 which is covered with a leather For other suitable material) valve 54. The valve 54 permits air to esca e from the bellows as it is being closed, but oes not allow air to enter the bellows through aperture 53 as the bellows is being 0 ened.

With the exception of the mo ification f this invention shown in Figure 7, the foregoing completes the description thereof, and before'discussing such modification, I will give a brief description of the operation thereof. Let it be assumed that the compartment 26 has a supply of cigarettes, which are easily placed in such compartment by merely raising the top 4, it being hinged by hinges 4 to the casing. The knob is turned counter clockwise until a cigarette 34 entersgroove 39 of roll 38, rotation is continued until the cigarette rolls upon the shelf 7. The knob 37 is pushed inwardly moving both the shaft 35 and the arm 14, until the contact 19 engages contact 25, when further movement of the knob and shaft will be arrested. The circuit to the heater element 17 is closed. As arm 14 is moved, the element 17 and cup 13 engage one end of the cigarette and move .itbodily along the shelf 7 until the other end of the cigarette (in views 1 and 5 indicated by numeral 9) enters the confined end of cup 10. The wing por- "tion 42 has emerged from slot 41, permitting 35 is then turned to disengage thefwings42 of the extension, thus allowing tlfibellows to open. As the bellows opens, air is drawn therein through the tube 12, and of course through the cigarette 9. Air is drawn through the cigarette at the time the heated element is in contact with the end thereof, thereby aiding materially in lighting it, as has been explained before. After the cigarette has been lighted, the knob 37 is released, permitting the cup 13 to move from I the cigarette, at the same time openin the circuit through the heater element 17. rom the foregoing description it will be seen that this device is particularly adaptable for automobiles, as it allows the driver to procure and light a cigarette with one hand, while driving with the other.

Figure 10 shows the invention, indicated by casing 1, mounted to the instrument board 56 of the automobile 57. It should be apparent, though, that this invention can be put to good use in places other than auto mobiles, and in Figure 9,'the device, again indicated by casing 1, is'seen mounted to a well or like support 58 by means of bracket 59. The circuit 23 is connected to an electrical appliancev outlet 60'.

If this device is used in automobiles, the

bellows 45 may be dispensedwith, the motor of the automobile being utilized to draw air mally kept closed by the spring 66 which is connected between the lever 64 and the end 3 of the casing 1. The shaft 35 in this modification is numbered 67, and the roll is numbered 68. The shaft 67 in this case is not provided with a wing portion as is shaft 35, but in its stead has a key 69 extending into the elongated slot 70of the roll 68. This allows the shaft 67 to be moved back and forth in roll 68, at the same time compels the roll to rotate with the shaft. Shaft 67 is lengthened to provide a contact end 71 in line with the lever 64. The roll 68 is provided with a groove, not shown, similar to the groove 39. In operation, the shaft 67 is rotated until a cigarette is discharged upon the shelf 7, afterward the knob is pressed inwardly as before. Electric contact is made as before. The shaft moves as before and the end 71 engages the lever 64 and opens the valve 62 allowing air to be drawn through tubes 12 and 65 during the lighting operation. Release of the knob 37 opens the electric circuit, allows shaft 67 to return to normal close..

Having .described claim is r position, and valve 62- to my invention, what lighter arranged at opposite 1. A cigarette dispenser and lighter, embodying a holder, a suction cup and a ends of said holder, said hghter being movable to and from said cup and designed to enga e one end of a cigarette resting upon said older and move it bodily until its other endenters pels said lighter to move toward said cupd a dispensing roll loosely carried by sai shaft adapted, when rotated by said shaft,

' for carrying cigarettes one at a time from a suppl source to said holder, radially directed wings embodied on said shaft en aging said roll when said shaft is move in the one direction and compelling it torotate therewith, and free 'of said roll and constituting means for operating the aforesaid suction appartus, when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction.

2. A cigarette dispenser and lighter, em-

bodying a holder, a suction cup and. a

lighter arranged at, opposite ends of said holder, said lighter being movable to and from said cup and designed to engage one end of a cigarette resting upon said holder and move it bodily until its other end enters such cup including means constantly urging such lighter to recede from said cup, suction apparatus connected with said cup, a shaft arranged axially parallel to said holder, said shaft being designed for rotation and longitudinal movement, its longitudinal movement in one direction being occasioned by recession of said lighter, its movement in the opposite direction being manually controlled, and its construction being such that when so last moved it compels said lighter to move toward said cup, a dispensing roll loosely carried by said shaft adapted, when rotated by said' shaft, for carrying cigarettes one at a time from a supply source to said holder, said roll being provided with a transverse slot at one end thereof, said shaft having outwardly pro jecting ortions normally resting in the aforesaid slot and compelling said roll to rotate therewith, and disengaged when said shaft is manually moved as aforesaid, and

said projecting portions, when so disen-v gaged, engaglng and operating the aforesaid suction apparatus. 7

3. A cigarette dispenser and lighter embodying a holder, a suction cup and a lighter arranged at opposite ends of said occasioned by the urge of the aforesai spring arm, its movement in the opposite direction being manually controlled, and its construction being such that when so last moved it compels said spring arm to carry such lighter toward to the aforesaid cup;-

a dispensing roll loosely carried by said shaft adapted, when rotated by said shaft, for carrying cigarettes one at a time from a supply sourcev to said holder; radially directed wings embodied on said shaft engaging said roll when said shaft is moved in the one direction and compelling it to rotate therewith, and free of said roll and constituting means for operating the aforesaid suction apparatus,when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction.

4. A cigarette dispenser and lighter embodying a holder, a suction cup and 'a lighter arranged at opposite ends of said holder, a spring arm su porting said lighter, said arm bein designe to allow said lighter to be manual y moved from a normal inert position toward said cup in order that it may engage one end of a cigarette restin upon said holder and move it bodily unti its other end enters such cup, suction apparatus connected, with said cup, a shaft arran ed axiall parallel to said holder, said shaft ing designed for rotation and longitudinal movement, its longitudinal movement in one direction being occasioned by the urge of the aforesaid spring arm, its movement in the opposite irection being manually controlled, and its construction being such that when so last moved it compels said spring arm to carry such lighter toward the aforesaid cup; a dispensing roll loosely carried by said shaft adapted, when rotated, for: carryin cigarettesv one at a time from a source '0 supply to said holder; said roll being provided with a transverse slot at one end thereof, said shaft having outwardly projecting portions normally resting in the aforesaid slot and compellin said roll to rotate therewith, and disengage when said shaft is manually moved as aforesaid, and said projecting portions, when so disengaged, engaging and operating the aforesaid suction apgparatus.

' UGENE F. LEITZ. 

